Chapter 4 - Unification (CitC)
"You had more courage when you were younger." "More courage? No, I never had to face them! I was only supposed to be there for my family and friends. Not be their king." Tubba argued, hurt by Clubbar's assumption of him. "Tubba. You are our last hope." Clubbar said, stressing each word. ''Am I supposed to be king? I can't, though! Bubba... they'll hate me. They still hate me. '' "They hate me." "Tubba, do you seriously think I went here without their say?" Clubbar asked, his eyes full of wisdom. "I really don't know at this point!" Tubba snarled, dropping into an attack stance, knowing that he wouldn't be able to raise a hand against his mentor. "You're forcing to give up the life I built here since I was 14, with no one!" "You had your brother." Clubbar pointed out, and Tubba couldn't himself back, fury overwhelming him. With one meaty hand, he slapped Clubbar as hard as he could across the face, sending the elderly Clubba against the floor. "BROTHER?! CHUBBA!?" Tubba bellowed, anger pulsing through him, not caring how loud he was screaming. "Some brother! You know what's he done? He's tried to kill me, he's never seen sense, he owns the Glitz Pit and all he and Yoshi do is RUIN MY LIFE! I don't know what I'm supposed to do, I killed Bubba, I've never been able to understand why everyone hates me! WHAT THE HELL DID I DO WRONG?! Clubbar looked at him from his place on the floor, understanding flooding into his eyes, as Tubba continued ranting. "I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE KING! Yet something about me, my personality, my everything, made everyone HATE me! My own brother DESPISES ME! EVERYONE CALLS ME CHUBBA IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHO I AM. I hate this life! Why did I have to have a twin, or better yet, why was I born? If this was all I was destined for, I DON'T WANT IT! Each day I try and live down killing Bubba, and then I REALIZE THAT EVERYONE STILL HATES ME FOR DIFFERENT REASONS! WHY? All I've ever wanted to do was be as good a Clubba as I could be and I'M JUST A PUNCHING BAG!" Dropping his gaze from Clubbar's, he whispered one last sentence, "Where did I go wrong?" "Well, for one," Yoshi began, but Tubba cut him off with a snarl. "YOU-you-you-you SHUT UP, you worthless EXCUSE FOR A DINOSAUR!" "Tubba." Clubbar interrupted, "I've always wanted to ask you this. Why did you kill Bubba?" "He had always used me as a punching bag. He was closer to my brother than I was. Then he killed my father." Tubba explained, his voice no more than a tense whisper. "It was an accident." Clubbar argued, his voice firm. "Tubba Sr. died saving him, Bubba didn't kill him." "He was always sticking his snout where it didn't belong! He took everything of value from me!" Tubba shouted, trying to get Clubbar to see sense. "Bubba was a horrible individual. Yes." Clubbar agreed, "But killing isn't always the answer to everything." "I KNOW THAT!" Tubba roared, "I LEARNED! So why does everyone still hate me!? Is it just because I'm a horrible person?" "No, Tubba." Clubbar said, "Most definitely not. This world is cruel. Your opinions. Your willingness to voice them. You have no shame for what you do, aside from killing Bubba. That's why the world hates you. People do not take kindly to outsiders, and those who aren't like them. It's your duty to stay strong. The path you walk is difficult and riddled with issues." Finally, Tubba understood. Sticking his hand out to help the elderly Clubba back to his feet, he knew he had to go to Gusty Gulch. "I'm coming to Gusty Gulch. What is the issue, anyway?" "The Mushroom Kingdom and the Beanbean Kingdom are attacking us. Why? We have resources- Power Stars, Tanooki Suits, etc- that we are not keen to give up," Clubbar explained, "therefore, apparently it us our duty to give it up to the larger countries. Mycerinus refused. They attacked. He was at the front lines of the battle, despite my argument. He died." "How am I supposed to change this?" Tubba asked disbelievingly, how was one Clubba supposed to change a massive war? "Not just you." Clubbar told him, "I know other fighters here." "You can't mean the battlers, can you?" Tubba demanded, and Clubbar nodded. "That's exactly who I mean. If you recall, we beat the Zaz Kingdom with support from a ragtag bunch of species." ''Mud. ''Tubba hadn't thought about his old friend for years. He presumed he was still sailing the earth. Yoshi piped up, having watched the exchange from the shadows. "Well, they're not going with you! Not with a murderer!" He spat the last words at Tubba, and Tubba instantly tensed his muscles, preparing to dash over and smash Yoshi's head against the ground, multiple times until he bled out. Then, due to Clubbar's warning glare, he controlled himself, at the precise moment the door opened. "We're going with them." Shazam, standing in the doorway, with everyone else behind him, said. "We heard Tubba yelling, and Yoshi didn't bother to lock the door." "Tubba, we may fight, literally and figuratively, but we're going with you. We're in this together." The other battlers crowed their agreement. Crossing the floor in a couple bounds, Tubba crushed the green Snifit in a giant bear hug.